Control system for search-light projectors.



No. 822,271. I PATENTED JUNE 5, 1906.

' J. L. HALL.

CONTROL SYSTEM FOR SEARCH LIGHTYPROJEGTORS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.15, 1902.

' 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Fig. l.

'mmlll llmunr muUnnnr Witnesses Inventon z? 9/ Q/CZJW John L. Hal I.

PATENTED JUNE 5, 1906.

J. L. HALL. CONTROL SYSTEM FOR SEARCH LIGHLPROJEOTORS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV15,1902i SSHEETS-SHEET 2.

No. 822,271. PATENTED JUNE 5, 1906. J. L. HALL.

CONTROL SYSTEM FOR SEARCH LIGHT PROJEOTORS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.15, 1902.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

Fig.5.

I D O A D 1 0 J o o Witnesses. Inventor. a y jfg John L,.llall.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFTCE.

JOHN L. HALL, OF SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRICCOMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CONTROL SYSTEM FOR SEARCH-LIGHT PROJECTORS= Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented June 5, 1906.

Application filed November 15, 1902. Serial No. 181,549.

. ectady, county of Schenectady, State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Im rovements in Control Systems for Search- Lig tProjectors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a system of control for a search-lightprojector, and has for its object the regulation of the direction of thebeam of light in altitude and azimuth either se arately orsimultaneously by a single hand e placed at a distance from t eprojector.

As used on shipboard search-lights are often placed far forward in anelevated position where the beam of light would be unobstructed, and thedirection ofthe beam is controlled from the bridge or some other pointat a distance from the projector. For

this purpose systems of rope-gearing have been employed by whichropes orcables transmit the movements of a handle mounted at the oint of controlto mechanism regulating the direction of the beam of light.

My invention relates to rope-control s stems of the character abovedescribed. ts object is to simplify and cheapen the construction of thecontrolling device and to provide mechanism such that the movement ofthe projector is always under the direct and positive control of theoperating-handle. To this end I provide which the projector is to betrained mounted on a universal bearin and connected posi-' tivel byropes or cab es with the rojector, whic when shifted to the right or efttrains the beam in azimuth without possibility of lostmotion and whenraised or lowered effects a similar training in altitude. For simplicityof construction pulleys are employed to transmit the operatin power toan from the'rope. On account 0 its large moment of inertia the projectorresists the pull of the rope or belt on the pulleys, and the formertends to slip without impartin completely the motion of the handle to te projector, and when moved it tends to continue its turning motion evenafter the operator ceases to move the handle, the belt shpp' g on theulleys. If the belts had become stretched by the action of the weatheron themor had bea handle at the point from' come slack from any other.cause, this slipping would occur to even a greater extent, so

that it would be difiicult to maintain the aparatus in proper workingorder. I thereore clamp the belts to each of the pulleys,

thereby preventing them from slip mg and provide turnbuckles in eachside 0 the belt or taking up slack. In this way slipping is avoided andthe projector is trained in exact accordance with any movement of theoperating-handle.

The two ropes clam ed to the handle pass over guide-sheaves an out tothe projector, where they pass over acommon pulley and are fastened to arod movable vertically within the hollow shaft and extending upwardthrough the base of the projector. An u ward or downward movement of thehan le thus causes a corresponding vertical move- ,ment of the rod,which by means of a crosshead mounted at its upper end above the baseand linked to the projector at points eccentric to its pivots trains theprojector in altitude. The ropes being clamped to both the handle andthe reciprocating rod, and turnbuckles being provide in each rope fortaking up slack, the projector is caused to turn on its horizontal axiswhenever and it cannot turn except when the handle is moved i A diagonalmovement of the handle in any direction 0 crates both of thecontrollingropes sim taneously and causes a corresponding diagonalmovement of the projector.- In this way the projector can be trained toany desired angle both as to altitude and azimuth by a single movementof the handle, and, further, the handle always indicates the directionin which the projector is trained as the beam "of light is always thrownin a direction parallel to the axis of the handle.v My inventiontherefore comprises a control system for a search-light rojectorcontainin a universally-mounted lever at the contro -point and flexibleconnections with the pro ector for communicating a positive movement 1nany direction. It also com prises more specific features which will beereinafter more fully described and definitely claimed. j

The construction of my device will be the handle is raised or lowered vmore readily understood by reference to the which is mounted at thepoint from which'it is desired to control the pgojector by bolts passingthrough the lugs X. Extending outward from the frame Fare the arms f fto the ends of which the frame K is pivoted by means of hollow pivots.In the preferred construction the frame K has the form of two parallelV-shaped bars connected together at their ends. The ulley B is rigidlymounted horizontally on t e frame K near one end thereof and concentricwith the hollow ivots. The handle H has a head E in the orm of asemicircular sheave or sector with two parallel grooves cut in thecurved ortion of its periphery and is pivoted onthe bolt A between theparallel sides of the frame K in such a position that a line between thecenters of the hollow pivots would'be tangent to the curved'head of thehandle. The handnut Oturns on the bolt A and is adapted to lock thehandle H against vertical movement. The clamps c c are mounted on thesector E to clamp the ropes M M, which in the position shown pass aroundone-half of the sector E through the hollow ivots of the frame K andover the pulleys P mounted on the arms ff respectively, of the frame F.The pulley or sheave B has a helical groove cut in its periphery,and'the rope L runs in this groove and out. over a similar horizontalpulley or sheave B, keyed. to the hollow shaft G and on the clamps h b,respective y, which gri the rope L and prevent it from slipping. T eshaft turns 111 a bearing D, formedintegral with the frame D, mounted onthe under side of.

the stand supporting the projector, and extends upwar through the pe,e'stal N where it is secured to the turn-table N, which carries thearms in whichj the projector is trunnioned. This frame" supports theulley or sheave I and has an extension which forms a guide D for the rod0. The ropes M M pass over the pulley I through openings in the collarso 0 on the rod 0 and are knotted to prevent being drawn through; thoseopenings. The rod 0 extends upward through the hollow shaft G andabovethe turn-table carries the cross-arm g, whi'c hifs 'connected bythe links g g to the drum of the projector at a point to the rear of thetrunnions by which the drum is su ported. Turnbuckles e e are insertedin eac side of each ropefor taking up slack.

It will thus be seen that any movement of the handle H to the right orleft turns pulley B, and, 'by means'of belt L, the pulley B on ulleys. BB are the the shaft G, thereby training he projector in azimuth, andwhen the handleis raised or lowered the ropes M M are drawn in and letout, thereby raising or lowerin the rod 0 and training the projector ina titude. As the belts are clamped both at the projector and at thepoint of control, they cannot sli and the projector moves exactly inaccor ance with the movements of the operating- .handle. When the handleis moved diagonally, both movements take place simultaneously, and the.projector is trained to a position corresponding to the position of thehandle. The ropes can be made of any length, guide-sheaves beingprovided to guide them around obstructions, so that the handle at rightangles to the axis of said frame, a

sector mounted concentric with said handle and movable therewith, andflexible connections between said sheave and sector and the projector.

2. The combination with a search-light projector, of means forcontrolling the same comprising a-main frame, an operating-handlepivoted therein for movement in two planes at an angle with each other,a sheave mounted concentric with each axis of said handle and movabletherewith, correspond inglyarranged sheaves on said projector, andflexible connections between the pairs of sheaves.

3. Controlling-gear for search-light projectors, com rising a handlehaving a curved end mova ly mounted on a frame pivoted on hollow pivotsin a stationary frame, and a fle'xible connection clamped to said handleand passin through sai hollow'pivots, the ends; of sai flexibleconnection being secured to a reciprocating rod connected to theprojectorat a point eccentric to its horizontal axls.

4. Acontrolling device for search-lig'ht projectors, comprising a handlehaving a curved end movably mounted on a frame pivoted on hollow pivotsin a stationary frame, said movable frame' being so shaped that theaxison which it turns is tangent to the curved end.

5. In combination with a search-light procurved head of the handle,means 0 erated by the handle for turning a hollow s aft se= cured to theprojector turn-table, and a belt In witness whereof I have hereunto setmy clamped to the handle passing over a portion hand this 14th day ofNovember, 1902.

of the curved head and through the hollow JOHN L HALL pivots and havinits ends attached toa rod vertically movab e Within the hollow shaft andlinked to the projector at a point eccentric to its horizontal axis.

Witnesses:

BENJAMiN B. HULL, HELEN ORroRD.

